Order NOW

Simply Said Reading Accessories

Our Mission

My main goal is to provide you and your business with elegant ways in representing your work. Sure business cards and fliers are fine to give to customers and potential clients; however give them a complimentary item that will not end up in the nearest trash can.

Think Pink Month

Thursday, January 28, 2010

To UglyEveryone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love. The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning the corner. His tail had long since been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk and twitch. Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped-type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. "That's one ugly cat!" All the children were warned not to touch him. The adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, and squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around your feet in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running, meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find. One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor’s huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was lying, it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost at an end. Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home, I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. I must be hurting him terribly, I thought. Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear. Ugly, in so much pain, suffering, and obviously dying was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye toward me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled-scarred cat was asking only for a little affection; perhaps some compassion. At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me, completely trusting in me to relieve his pain. Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterward, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful.He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for. All of us would want to be richer, more successful, well liked, or beautiful. But for me, I will always try to be "Ugly".…Author Unknown

To My God be the Glory, Honor and Praise,Shelia E. LipseyMy Book ReviewThis acknowledgement was “To Ugly” and it just made me weep. How many times have YOU seen something or someone so ugly, it made you cringe? Did it ever occur to you that they need love too? This was the perfect siegway to a great story about how people see themselves and live in such a ugly life because of demons that haunt them. And most of it’s in their mind. The three ladies in this wonderful and truly heart felt story are beautiful, but they all are harboring silent uglies that only they see. Shelia tell each one's story, beautifully. Forgiving your ugllies is such a haunting task, but a doable one.4****

Win an autographed copy of Beautiful Ugly by Shelia LipseySee contest details below.About Beautiful UglyThree friends with different struggles rely on God and each other to get by. Layla Hobbs has so much to offer, including a beautiful singing voice, but obesity and low self-esteem hold her back from life and finding true love. Envy Wilson has always been Layla’s backbone. But what about her own dark secrets? She won’t share them with anyone, and it’s starting to eat away at her from the inside. And then there’s Kacie Mayweather. Stricken with cerebral palsy, she’s had her share of men—five baby daddies for six children, in fact. But she’s never had one man to call her own. They’ll need plenty of faith and support from each other to see the real beauty that lies within each one of them and fulfill their deepest desires at last.

Win an autographed copy of Beautiful Ugly by Shelia LipseyShelia Lipsey is the author of three other Christian Fiction novels. The trivia question below is from one of those novels. Leave your response to the trivia question below in the comment section.What was the name of the church that the Graham family attended? Tell us the title of the book.

About the AuthorAuthor Shelia E. Lipsey is a multi-award winning author. Her novels are available at most bookstores nationwide as well as online. Lipsey’s books have been called gripping, life-altering, memorable and realistic. Lipsey was recently awarded the 2009 Top Shelf Award for Beautiful Ugly by Black Pearls Magazine. She also won 2009 Shades of Romance Readers’ Choice Awards for My Son’s Wife in the following categories: Author of the Year, Christian fiction Book of the Year, Christian Romance of the Year, Best Book Cover of the Year, Best Fiction Book of the Year, among several other awards for her novels, Into Each Life and Sinsatiable.Lipsey is the proud mother of two sons and the grandmother of three blessed young men. She is president of UCHisGloryBookClub.net, founder of Living Your Dreams Now a non-profit organization and MAAW (Memphis African American Writers).Read an excerpt and check the tour schedule at http://bit.ly/BeautifulUgly

For more information, visit www.shelialipsey.com.Listen to the excerpt

Monday, January 11, 2010

Cheryl Lacey Donavan says “Victorious Living refers to the state of our inward attitude, the disposition of our heart. Victory is that inner peace of God which surpasses all understanding It's the joy of the Lord which is our strength. It's the assurance that God is in control, and the knowledge that all things and circumstances are somehow working together for our good.

God wants all his children to live a victorious life. But this is only possible through the walk of faith. Faith is what makes us overcomers against the odds. A victorious life of faith no longer lives by feelings, emotions or circumstances. As believers, we live according to what the Word of God says, not by what the circumstances say. "We walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). This walk of faith is what brings true victory.”

About the BookVictorious Living for Women is filled with the inspiration, wisdom and pathways to victory of 42 incredible women who share stories of their life experiences, from their heart to yours. They have endured personal pain and have come through empowered, encouraged and victorious.

As they take you on their personal journeys you will find inspiration, encouragement and blueprints for victory embedded in each chapter. You will discover principles for transforming your life. You can learn how to overcome fear, find you purpose, define your destiny, recover from divorce, heal your heart, physical healing, dealing with the loss of loved ones and so much more.

This stellar assembly of women with inspiring true-life stories will captivate you throughout each page as you read how their lives were transformed from anger to joy, disappointment to destiny and trial to victory. Their candor, wisdom and inspiration can help you to pursue your path of becoming a victorious woman.Read an excerpt and check the tour schedule at http://bit.ly/VictoriousLivingForWomenTour.

Now It’s Your TurnHow Would You Define Victorious Living? We look forward to your response in the comment section below.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Synopsis:"Child abuse, rape and struggling to live are all things that women go through at least once in their lifetime. In this tale, Naya Mona takes readers on a journey through her crayon box of life. She shows us what her true colors are as she recounts her past to a son she is meeting for the first time. How do you tell your son that your father is his?

The Spiral of events that fill Naya's life provides an intimate look at the drama, romance and struggles that become her voice. On stage, she must become Jazzmyne-the Jazz singer. Naya no doubt commands your attention and takes you on a rollercoaster ride that is filled with the melodious tones that makes Color Me Jazzmyne a true reading pleasure."

Book Excerpt:"My past however, is something quite different. It still haunts me, slaps me in the face and dares me to face the reality of today. Every day, it seems, I am forced to remember what color is Jazzmyne. Once upon a time the color of snow ran through me. It ran so deep that it blended with my insides, messed with my emotions and played with the deepest corners of my heart.

How can life do that to a woman? As I look into the mirror, I can quickly see the colors that answer that question.Upon the walls of my office are newspapers encased in gold frames. I

glance at the writings, the ink still trying to hold on to the paper. So many years have passed. They all told a story. Each one represented a version of some reporter's dream. Some wrote that I become everything from simply nothing. Others wrote that my voice awakens them and breathes life into the deepest corner of their being. I wish it did the same for me. I could use an awakening."

Author Marian L. Thomas is a native of Chicago with a passion for the words that reflect the issues that face women today. However, the concept of putting her thoughts into written form wasn’t realized until her second year in high school when she wrestled with the thought of writing a book she then called What Color is Jazzmyne.

In fact, twenty years would pass before she finally debuted a more refined version of her original concept, calling it Color Me Jazzmyne. It was just a few years prior to this that she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Communication, graduating Magna Cum Laude.

Marian now resides in Atlanta, GA with her husband and their spoiled but playful dog. She enjoys writing short stories that have full impact and is currently working on her second novel.

What are some of the issues in society that your book addresses?Rape, incent, child abuse, teen pregnancy are just some of the issues that affect our society today that Color Me Jazzmyne addresses. The story shows the emotional scars from not being able to speak to someone about your situation as a child to the feelings that no one will believe you when you do. These are scars that can remain under the surface for many years, sometimes forever.

What does the crayon box represent in the story?We all have many colors. Colors that go beyond race but reach down into our emotions, attitudes and even the way people try to color us. The attempt to make us what they want us to me. This is how it is for Naya. It is not just the color of your skin that she must face but the colors that make her who she is and will become.

What impact do you want your book to make on readers?"I hope that women who read this book and have lived the life of Naya Mona in some form or fashion will find the voice, strength and motivation to push past the pain and live."

What goal do you have in regards to writing?For me, writing is more of a release from the reflection of the world around us. It is a way to express the obvious using tones that soothe, excite, uplift and allow the reader to step out of their comfort level. That is my goal when writing. That is what drives me to create characters such as Naya Mona.

Are your characters a portrayal of real people?Reality is always a part of us and as such what we read must adhere to some form of it. Without reality one can’t relate to the story that is being told. Naya is clearly a reflection of the many women that I have met over the years and the struggles that they have gone through. I do not remove myself from that reflection.

Who is your favorite character?Misty. She represents all the so-called friends that revolve in and out of our lives and then I would have to say Chris, because he is what I term the 'life-time' type of husband. He represents the compassion and love that we as women need, want and deserve.

What else can you tell us about Naya Mona?Naya Mona is the type of woman that all women can see a reflection of themselves in. She has dreams, struggles, obstacles and a passion to live! In the beginning she is naïve, abused and looking in all the wrong directions for comfort. She quickly realizes that a beautiful pair of black leather shoes does not reflect the essence of a good man.

The drama in her life unveils as her son whom she hasn’t seen since birth walks through the doorways of her beautiful and lavish home thinking that she is the reason that the puzzle of his life doesn’t fit. Filled with rage, anger and sadness he forces her to go back into her past, back to the time when her father’s touch was no longer innocent.

Contact Us For More Information

Hello, my name is Debra Owsley and my company is Simply Said Reading Accessories. I custom design and hand make reading accessories such as “Gift Marks” also known as Bookmarks, Book Thongs, Book Plates and note cards that I call Love Notes; for Authors Book Stores Book Clubs and Book Lovers.

This is what I do, but…it’s all about youI have been perfecting my craft for a little over 4 years as a specialty service. As an avid reader, I had to find a way to support my “Book Habit”; I have always been crafty and made some for my clients one year for Christmas, I am a hair stylist, and they encouraged me to pursue this as a business.

I also have a client who is an author and she commissioned me to custom some for her, thus the Authors Custom Work came in. I attend several major book events a year and I can proudly say that my work is appreciated by some of the finest authors, in the industry.

Book lovers can enjoy my work too! Check out my booklovers gift shop to view pre-designed selections. I love to create and make the “Giftmarks”, and Book Thongs. I have hundreds of different designs, all have wonderful quotes, sayings, or phases that speaks to you. View the catalogs here.